Method of and apparatus for wiring electrical units



May 13, 1941. H. w. GARBE ET Ax.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WIRING ELECTRICAL UNITS Filed Jan. ll, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l May'13, 1941. H. w. GARBE ET Al. 2,241,880 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS-FOR WIRING ELECTRICAL UNITS Filed Jan. ll, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 5. MMM M MGRWW www m/A #M l H. W. GARBE ETAL May 13, 1941. 2,241,880

METHOD oT-AND APPARATUS FOR WIRING ELECTRICAL UNITS Filed Jan. i1, 1940 s sheets-sheet 5 fm1/wrak fr'. W GARBL' y H. .SA/MVA-LL/ f 527 @am rra/Mfr Patented May 13, 1941 METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FR VVERENG ELECTRECAL UNITS Howard W. Garbe, Hinsdale, and Herman Sara- UNITED ST valli, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New Ycrk, N. Y., a corporation of New York 15 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for Wiring electrical units and more particularly to a method of wiring cross bar switch units and apparatus for positioning the Wires during the attachment thereof to the cross bar switch units.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify and expedite the wiring of electrical apparatus.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the method as applied to the wiring of cross bar switch units, which have a plurality of rows of terminals extending from their terminal end and designed to be strapped together by rows of Wires xed to them, for example, by soldering, utilizes an expansible frame into which a series of removable pins may be inserted progressively as a frame support ifs oscillated through 180 to feed a plurality of wires simultaneously to the pins on the frame. After the wires have been wound on the expansible frame, it being understood that the leading ends of the wires have been fixed to the frame before the wires are wound about the pins and that the trailing ends of the wires are fixed to the frame after the Wires have been wound relatively loosely upon the pins, the frame may be expanded by rotating a shaft positioned in the support on which the frame is mounted during the winding of the wires. The frame is provided with a pair of gears which mesh with corresponding gears on the shaft when the frame is positioned on its support whereby rotation of the shaft will impart rotation to screw threaded members forming parts of the frame to expand the frame and tighten the wires on the pins. After the frame has thus been supplied with wires and the wires have been tightened, it may be removed from the support and hung upon a cross bar switch unit with the wires in position adjacent the terminals. A suitable fixture is provided for forcing the wires down into intimate engagement with the terminals during the soldering operation. This xture is described in detail and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 313,403, filed January 11, 1940. After the wires have been soldered to the terminals, the ends thereof adjacent the pins on the expansible frame may be clipped of and the expansible frame again positioned on the support to receive a new set of wires.

A better understanding of the invention will be had from the following detailed description when considered in conjuction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of an expansible frame positioned upon an oscillatable support or turntable and showing the expansible frame partly wired;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows showing the details of the mechanism for expanding the expansible frame;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing the rear or terminal end of a cross bar switch assembly with the expansible frame suspended thereon and showing the fixture for holding the wires in contact with the terminals in elevation; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 5 5, 6 6, 1 1 and 8 3, respectively, (Fig. 4) in the direction of the arrows showing, on an enlarged scale, some details of the expansible frame and the fixture for holding the wires in contact with their associated terminals and also showing the method of mounting the expansible frame on the cross bar switch assembly.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views, there is shown, in Figs, 1 and 2, a support l l, which may be a Work bench or other suitable support, having extending upwardly therefrom (Fig. 2) a boss I2, which serves as a bearing for pivotally supporting a turntable i3, which is oscillatable about a pivot pin la mounted centrally of the boss i2. The turntable i3 constitutes a support upon which an expansible frame, designated generally by the numeral l5, may be positioned during the stringing of a plurality of wires GS ES on the frame. The turntable i3 comprises a base portion I7, end walls i3 and i9, intermediate walls 2i! and 2i, main front and rear walls 22 and 23 and rear wall portions 24 and 25. The main front and rear walls 22 and 23 are relatively low and have extending upwardly therefrom projections 25, 2l, 23, 29, 3Q, 3l, 32 and 33. The projections 2t and 2l' cooperate to support a` bearing M, projections 28 and 29 serve to support a bearing t2, projections 3@ and 3l serve to support a bearing Q3 and projections 32 and 33 serve to support a bearing Mi. The bearings 4| and 43 are of substantially the same construction and the bearings i2 and d4 are of the same construction. A shaft i5 maybe journalled in either the bearings il and 133 or in the bearings 42 and it and carries adjacent its ends helical gears 46 and lil. The forward end of the shaft 45 has a may be rotated.

rectangular portion lil which extendsout beyond the bearing I or 2, depending upon which set of bearings the shaft l5 is mounted in and is adapted to receive a crank handle i8 shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, whereby the shaft rEhe bearings il and d3 have formed integrally with them projections 5S Vand 5 I, respectively, which serve as bearings for supporting portions of the expansible frame l5, as will be described hereinafter, pivoted locking members 52 and 53 being mounted on projections 5d and El for locking said portion of the"- expansible frame I5 into the projections 5l, respectively.

The base portion I'I of the turn-table ifen-l closed between the walls I9, l andik 2li slopes downwardly from iront to rear, as viewed in Fig. l, and forms a pocket Eil" similarly the base portion Il is enclosed by the walls` E3, l and 25 and slopes downwardly from front to rear toforrn a pocket 55. When an expansible frame I5'is being wound with wires It, a nurnber'of relatively small pins et and a clamping pin 57 may be placed in the pocket 5d' to facilitate the handling of the pins in a manner to be described. In a similar manner, a number of relatively large pins 53 may be positioned in the poclet'. Gneof the'pins 55 is shown in detail in' Fig; 'l and comprises a shank portion 5e and arelatively long head portion te, the head portion'being provided with a series ci grooves 6I in which wires I6 may be positioned.- Itwillbe understood that the pins 55 and the pins 58 are oi' `substantially the same construe` tion except-thatthe pins 53 are somewhat larger in'thedia-ineter of their head portions to elect a proper spacing of the wires' I on the expansible frame i5. The clamping pin Eil is shown-.insome detail in Figs. 5 and 7 and comprises aV square shank @il which ts tightly into a square` holev GI in the expansible'frame I5. The outwardly extending portion of the clamping pin 5l is threaded, as shown at E2, for receiving a clamping nut 63 adapted to compress a series of washer-like members 64 against a shoulder t5- iorrned integrally with the Vshank ofthe pinto clamp the series of wiresv It between the washer-like members Sil. The turntable i3 is provided with la handle 56, which extends upwardly from the front edge of the pocket 54,

whereby the turntablemay'be oscillatedduring the winding of wires it on the expansible frame I5.

The eXpansible frame comprises end members 'i5 and 'i6 into which the'pins'', 57 and 58 may be easily insertedand from which they' also may be easily removed'. The end member l5l carries a clamping assembly l?, which is of substantially the same construction as the clamping pinassembly 5l, except that the shank of the pin in the; assembly ll'is xed in the end' member l5. The end members 'la' and 'i6 of the expansible frame' I5- are-interconnected by telescoping assembliesl'and 19, which are identical in construction, and only one of which need be described.

The telescopingassembly 'l comprises a tubular'member Si?, which may be seen most clearly in Fig. 4; since' in that figure the expansible frame i'isshown removed from the turn table w I3. The'tubular member 8i! extends to the outer end ofV the end member 'I5 and is suitably secured thereto, for example, by welding the two members together. The right end. (Fig 4) of the tubular'member 8b is threaded externally, as

and

shown at 8l, and has threaded on it a collar 82, on which there is formed a helical gear t3, which meshes with the gear fit. The collar 82 abuts a collar til, which is secured to a rod 35 by means of a pin d6. The rod 35 extends an appreciable distance into the tubular member Si) and it will be apparent that if the collar 82 is rotated by means of the gear 33 in the proper direction, the collar t2 will thrust against the collar 8f3 and tend to move the rod B out of the tubular men ber lill. In order to prevent the rod 55 from coming out of the tubular member S6, when there are no wires on the expansible frame l5, the rod llt is provided with a slot 3l adapted to receive the extending end or a screw t3 threaded through a collar Sil Xed to the tubular member llt. The telescoping assembly l and l?, as shown, are arranged to hold the eXpansible frame I5 in a position to receive wires i6 for a relatively large cross bar switch assembly. However, if it is desired to utilize the expansible frame I5 in wiring small units, the frame may be collapsed and the collar 8d moved from the position shown to a position where the pin 8G will pass through an aperture 9% in the rod S5 and the screwI 88 will engage a second slot 9i formed in therod 85.

The expansible frame i5, when expanded to the position as shown in the drawings, may be mounted upon the turntable I3 by a pair of positioning pins lil@ and lill, which extend into a slot Iiland a hole ISS, respectively, in the end walls it and i8, respectively. However, when it is desired to arrange wire It for a smaller cross bar switch assembly, the expansible frame I5 may be collapsed as described hereinbefore and the pins Ill and lili will then it into a slot Hill and a hole H35 in the-intermediate walls 2liY and 2|, respectively, it being understood that the shaft l5 will then be mounted in the bearings Q2 and et, the pivoted locking members 52. and 53 being used to clamp the telescoping assemblies I8 and l in position duringV the winding of the wire I t on the expansible'frarne i5.

The method of Stringing the'wires It on the frame l5 comprises placing an expansible frame I5 on the turntable I3 and if itis assumed that a large cross bar switch assembly is to be Wired, the frame I5 will be extended' to the size shown inthe draw-ings and placed on the turn table with the pin itl in the hole It and the pin Idil in the slot EQ2, the shaft it being positioned as shown. As'soon as the frame I5 has been placed in position on the turntable, the shaft ll'may be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, by means of the crank handle 513, to thread the collar 82 onto the tubular member 8% a sulhcient distance so that the pin itil will engage the right hand end of the slot E92 (Fig. l), whereupon, after removing the crank handle d3: from shaft a plurality of wires l5, which have been threaded through a hand guide I8@ from a suit'- able group of supply rolls (not shown) but being suitably tensioned to place a slight' drag on the wires it being drawn from them, may be positio-ned on the pins 56 and 5t. Thev forward end of the wire it may be Xed to the clamping as sembly Il and a pin 56 placed in position inthe lowermost hole in the end members l5, Whereupon the turntable I3' may be oscillated ina counter-clockwise direction to bend the wiresV I5 around the lov-fermost pin 5t and the wires will be aligned in the proper grooves onthepin 55 by'means of the hand guide IEES'. As theturn table i3 is oscillated ina counter-clockwise di'- rection, wire will be withdrawn from the supply under tension and may then be guided onto the lowermost pin 58 on the end member 16, the pin 58 having been inserted in the end member. 'I6 after the turntable has been oscillated 180 from the position shown. The turntable I3 may then be oscillated back to the position shown, a new pin 56 inserted in the second hole from the bottom in the end member 15, and the table again oscillated. This operation may be continued until the desired number of rows of wires I6 have been wound upon the pins 56 and 58. After a sufficient number of layers of wire have thus been wound on the frame, the clamping pin assembly 5T may be inserted in the last hole on the end member I5 and the wires l5 clamped to it. The wires will now be strung about the pins 56 and 58, but will be somewhat loose thereon and may be tightened to take any play out of the wire by expanding the frame I5. This may be done by rotating the shaft 45 in a clockwise direction to move the collar 82 to the right (Figs. l, 2 and 4), thereby to tend to move the rod 85 out of the tubular member B0. In this manner, the wires will be strung tightly about the pins and the expansible frame I5 may then be removed from the turntable I3 and positioned on a cross bar switch assembly, as will now be described.

The cross bar switch assembly, which, of itself, does not constitute a part of this invention, comprises a framework composed of end members I|5 and IIE (Fig. 4) to which there are secured horizontal frame members II`| and IIS to form a substantially rectangular frame on which a series of vertical unit supports I I9 are fixed. The vertical unit supports II9 have mounted upon them a series of banks of contacts, the terminal ends of which are shown in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive. In wiring these switches for use in telephone apparatus, the various terminals in each group are strapped to corresponding terminals in all the other groups in the same level with them and therefore the extending ends of the apparatus are provided with soldering lugs |20, which project from the terminal ends of the springs and have U-shaped notches |2I in them to receive the strap wires I6.

'Ihe framework of the cross bar switch assembly has, adjacent each end, plates |22 and |23 which support part of the apparatus in the unit. These plates |22 and |23 have bent-over portions as indicated at |24 and |25, respectively, between which the pins I| and |00, respectively, may be inserted to support the expansible frame I5 on the cross bar switch assembly and hold the wires I6 in position directly above the notches I2I in the soldering lugs |20. In this manner, the wires I6 will be positioned directly above the notches |2| in the soldering lugs |20, as shown in Fig. 5, and in the upper portion of Fig. 8. As soon as the operator has the expansible frame I5 mounted on the cross bar switch assembly in the manner just described, any suitable key or block of material may be inserted between the rows of wires I6 and turned to force the wires down into the notches I2I in the soldering lugs |20. After the wires have been moved into the notches in the soldering lugs, there may be some tendency foi' the wires at the middle of the cross bar switch assembly to move upwardly away from their respective contacts, and, accordingly, there has been provided a hold down iixture, which comprises a bar |30 long enough to extend across all of the contacts of the cross bar apparatus and having a series of grooves I3| cut therein to receive the terminal ends of the contact springs of the cross bar apparatus. The bar |30 has fixed thereto a pointed guide |32 adapted to fit between adjacent rows of terminals and accurately position the bar |30 with respect to the terminals. Fixed to the bar |30 is a spring |33 having attached to its free end a hold down plate |34, which will bear upon the wires i6 and hold them in the notches |2| during the soldering operation. After the first, third, fth, seventh and ninth rows of wires, counting from the top (Fig. 4.), have been soldered to their respective terminals, the entire cross bar switch assembly may be inverted without removing the expansible frame I5 from it and the soldering operation repeated on the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth rows of wire, as viewed in Fig. 4, which will be uppermost when the assembly is reversed. After all of the terminals have been soldered to the strap wires I6, the extending ends of the wires adjacent the pins 56 and 58 may be cut and the expansible frame I5 re moved and again positioned upon the turntable I3 to receive another set of wires for connection to another piece of cross bar switch apparatus. The hold down fixture for holding the wires in the notches I2I of the soldering lugs |20 is utilized in practicing the method of the present invention, but since it may be useful in many other operations, it forms .the subject matter of a separate application being filed concurrently herewith, whi'ch application bears Serial No. 313,403 and filing date of January 1l, 1940.

Although the method covered by the present invention has been described in connection with a specific apparatus and the apparatus has been described specifically, it will be understood that other apparatus may be used in practicing the method and modifications may be made in the apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention, which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of wiring electrical apparatus having a plurality of rows of terminals to be strapped together which comprises wiring a plurality of strands of wire on an open expansible framework, fixing the ends of the wires so wound to the framework, expanding the framework to tighten the wires thereon, suspending the framework on a piece of apparatus to be wired, and soldering the Wires to the terminals of the apparatus.

2. A method of wiring electrical apparatus ycomprising winding strands of wire on an ex pansible framework, expanding the framework after the wire has been wound thereon, temporarily mounting the expansible frame on the apparatus to be wired, forcing the Wires into initimate engagement with their associated contacts, soldering the wires to their contacts, and then clipping the wires from the frame.

3. A method of wiring electrical apparatus which comprises placing an expansible framework on a turntable, oscillating the turntable to feed wires onto the expansible framework, fixing the ends of the wires to the framework, expanding the framework to straighten the wires, supporting the framework on apparatus to be wired, forcing the wires into engagement with the terminals of the apparatus, soldering the Wiresgto the terminals of the apparatus,

cutting; the wires;- from Ythe framework.

4. A method of wiring electrical apparatus which comprises mounting anexpansible framework on a turntable, fixing theends ofv a plurality of wires tothe expansibleframework, oscillating the turntable with the framework thereonthrough an angle of 18010 to feed wires to the framework, fixing thefree ends `of the wires to the framework, expanding 'the frameworkv tov put the wires under tension thereon, mounting the framework on apparatus-- to be wired, soldering the wires-to the term-inals of the apparatus, and cutting the wiresfrom the-framework.

5. A method of attachingstrap wires to cross bar units which comprises placing an expansible framework on an-oscillatable turntable, ,securing the ends of the-wires to said` framework, oscillating the turntable through 180 to draw wires from a'V supply thereof, placing apin in the framework and oscillating it inareverse direction to withdraw more wire from the supply, placing a second pin in the framework and repeating the oscillating movement and` insertion of pins until the vdesired number of layers ofwire `Y have been wound on the framework, fixing the ends of the wires toV the framework, expanding the framework to tighten thevwires on theY pins, mounting-the framework on a: cross bar switch assembly: with the wires in alignment with the terminals thereof, pressing the wires down into intimateren'gagernent with the terminals, soldering the wires to the terminals, and cutting the wires adjacent the expansible frame.

6. In an apparatus for-positioning wires during the attaching-thereof to electrical equipment, a turntable, a shaft mounted in said turntable and carrying a pair of gears, an expansible frameworkremovably positionable on said turntable and comprising telescopng members, gears threaded on said members and adaptedv to engage the gears mounted on said shaft whereby the framework maybe expanded.

'7. In anapparatus for. positioning wires during the attaching thereof to electrical equipment, a turntable, a shaft mounted insaid turntable and carrying a pair of gears, an expansible framework removably positionable on said turntable and comprising pairs of telescoping members, gears threaded on one member of each pair of telescoping members for engagement with the gears on said shaft when the framework is positioned on said turn table and wire receiving pins positionable in said framework.

8. In an apparatus for positioning wires during the attachment thereof to electrical equipment, an expansible wire holding framework, means for supporting the expansible framework during the wiring thereof, and cooperating means on the framework and the supporting means for expanding the framework.

9. In an apparatus for positioning wires during the attachmentv thereof to. electrical equipment, an expansilole wire holding framework, means for supporting the expansible framework during the wiring thereof, and cooperating means on the framework and the supporting means for expanding the framework, said means comprising gears on the framework and on the supporting means.

lo. In Van apparatus for positioning,wiresdur-A ingthe attachment thereof to electrical equip? ment, an expansible wire holding framework, means for supporting the--expansible-framework during the wiring thereof, and cooperating means on the framework and the supporting means for expanding the framework, said means comprising gears threaded on the framework, gears carried by the supportingl means, and a manually actuatable shaft journalled in the supporting means and carrying the gears in the supporting means.

1l. An apparatus for positioning wires. during the attachment thereof to electrical equipment, an expansible framework comprising. two assemblies, means for connecting saidassemblies in a plurality of positions with` respect one to another, and means for expanding. said framework by adjusting .the position of said .assemblies with respect to each other in any of the plurality of positions.

l2. An apparatus for positioning wires during the attachmentthereof to'electrical equipment, an expansible framework comprising two assemblies, meansY for connecting said assem-I blies in a plurality of positions withv respect one to another, and means for expanding said framework by adjusting the position of said assemblies with respect to each other in any of the plurality of positions, `comprising apairof, gears threaded on the ends .of- Qneof.,saidrassemlalies. and a pair of adjustable collarsonthe .endspf the other assembly.

13. An apparatusfor positioning. wiresudllr-V ing the attachment thereof to.. electrical, equip; ment, an expansible framework, comprisingtwo assemblies, means. for connecting. saidl .assieme-Y blies in a plurality `of v positions with respect. one..

threaded on the ends ofcne of'said,asselrnblies`V and a pair of adjustablecollarspn theV ends of;

the other assembly, andiIneens forY supporting said expansible framework during, theexpand-VV ing thereof comprising. a turntable, ,a sliafl. po,-

sitionable in a plurality ofbearings on saidjturntable, and a pair of gears .,carriedby said shaft V for cooperation with the gears lonthe expansie 4ble framework.

i4. In an apparatus for positioning wiresv during the attaching thereof to, electrical equipment, aturntable, a shaft mountedin said'turn-` ,table and carrying a gear, an, expansible frame-l work removably positionable on, said' turntable and comprisingY telescoping members., and agearv threaded on one o f the teles'copingb members for engagementy with the gear on said shaft. when the framework ispositioned on said turntable.`

i5. In an apparatus for positioning wires during the attaching thereof to electrical equipment, oscillatable supporting means, a framework positionable on said supporting means for receiving wires during theosc'illation of the sup-.f porting means, and'm'eansonthe framework-for putting the wires thereonf'undern tensioni.

HOWARDv W; GARBE HERMAN SARAVALLI. 

